The present invention relates to a spring terminal.
Such spring terminals designed like direct clamp push-in terminals with a clamping spring designed as a pressure spring which presses a conductor against a bus bar and are known in many embodiments. They differ in particular due to their usage, for example, as a function of the required ability of the bus bar to carry current, of the spring force of the clamping spring and/or of their installation conditions, in particular of their structural size. A simple assembly and an economical manufacture are requirements which are constantly placed on such a terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,915 B2 discloses a wire end casing having a direct clamp terminal arranged on one end for securely connecting an electrical conductor. The direct clamp terminal includes a current-conducting clamping cage for electrically contacting the electrical conductor and includes a spring for securing the electrical conductor. The spring includes a pivotable clamping limb which is positioned on a holding device when an electrical conductor is not introduced into the direct clamp terminal so that a free space for the electrical conductor is maintained and the conductor can be introduced into the clamping cage. During the introduction into the direct clamp terminal, the holding device is shifted in such a manner that the clamping limb detaches and is pivoted. The pivoted clamping limb presses the electrical conductor onto the clamping cage.
EP 2 768 079 A1 discloses a further development of this direct clamp terminal in which a detent mode can be reestablished with an actuating element and a pressure element after a release of the locked clamping limb by the conductor.
While conventional spring terminals operate satisfactorily, there is a need for a spring terminal, in particular an attachable spring terminal, in particular for stranded conductors having a small cross section which improves the clamping operation of the terminal.